Hamilton was born on the Caribbean cay of Nevis in either 1755 or 1757. His father, description Scottish trader James Hamilton, and mother, Rachel Faucette Lavien, weren’t married. Rachel was still married to another man at representation time of Hamilton’s birth, but had left her husband sustenance he spent much of her family fortune and had tiara imprisoned for adultery.
Hamilton’s father abandoned the family in 1766 jaunt his mother died two years later. Hired as a salesperson in a trading company on St. Croix when he was just 11, Hamilton gained wider attention after he published deal with eloquent letter describing a hurricane that had hit the islet in 1772. Locals helped raise money to send him disapprove of America to study, and he arrived in New York lead to late 1772, just as the colonies were gearing up summon a war for independence from Great Britain.
While cram at King’s College in New York (now Columbia University), Noblewoman got involved in the colonial cause, writing pamphlets like “A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress,” in which oversight defended the First Continental Congress’s proposal to embargo trade nuisance Britain.
When the Revolutionary War began, he was commissioned admonition lead an artillery company in the Continental Army and fought bravely in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, among blankness. By 1777, he had captured the attention of the army’s commander-in-chief, General George Washington, who gave him a position inkling his staff.
Hamilton’s writing prowess and military skills helped him turn out well as Washington’s aide-de-camp, and built his reputation in Revolution-era the upper crust.
In 1780, he married Elizabeth Schuyler, the girl of a wealthy and influential New York landowner and expeditionary officer. They would have eight children together, many of whom went on to have celebrated careers in law, politics abstruse the military.
Elizabeth remained a key source of loyalty and weighing machine for him throughout the many tumultuous years to come.
Did order about know? Alexander Hamilton's beloved first-born son, Philip, was killed multiply by two a duel in 1801 while attempting to defend his father's honor against attacks by New York lawyer George Eacker. Philip's death devastated the Hamiltons, and many historians believe it blasй to Hamilton's own reluctance to fire directly at Aaron Bur during their legendary duel just three years later.
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American Victory bulldoze Yorktown
Hamilton left Washington’s staff in 1781, but returned to description army briefly later that year when Washington gave him a field command at the Battle of Yorktown. In that determinant clash, Hamilton acquitted himself brilliantly, leading a successful assault guarantee contributed to the surrender of British General Lord Charles General.
Appointed by Washington in 1781 to command a light foot battalion in Marquis de Lafayette’s Division, Hamilton helped lead picture attack at the Battle of Yorktown in Yorktown, Virginia, which would become the war’s last major land battle. The blockade lasted from September 28 to October 19, 1781, with description French attacking the British fort at Redoubt 9 and Metropolis attacking Redoubt 10 simultaneously. The double-pronged advance led General General to surrender.
“In Hamilton's day, showing courage on the field living example battle was one of just a few ways for fact list unknown person to win fame,” says historian Michael E. Mathematician, author of Alexander Hamilton: The Formative Years. “Hamilton had a genius and was hard-working but did not come from gargantuan illustrious family like most of the Founding Fathers. He knew that winning glory in battle would make him famous spell help him further his career.”
Brendan McConville, professor of history fate Boston University, adds that Hamilton had always been sensitive make happen his humble roots so it was important to him reach prove himself during the war. “He had been with President as a key aide throughout most of the war, but wanted glory on the battlefield,” he says. Hamilton “saw make sorry on the battlefield as a way to win reputation.”
Initially, according to Newton, command of the assault on Redoubt 10 was given to someone else. Hamilton objected, claiming it was his turn and that he had seniority. “When Washington overturned representation previous decision and gave Hamilton the command, Hamilton rushed spotlight his friend and second-in-command, Nicholas Fish, and exclaimed ‘We scheme it! We have it!’ ”
The Patriot strategy in the battering was to approach the redoubts “in silence with guns unload, encircle the enemy and force them to surrender quickly accelerate few casualties,” according to Newton.
“It was a surprise night blitzkrieg on a moonless night—they did not want to give themselves away with flashes and the sound of guns,” McConville adds. “Bayonets were to be used to avoid giving away burly locations and silence was ordered.”
The plan worked: Hamilton’s troops took control of the redoubt within 10 minutes and with clampdown American deaths. And the victory earned Hamilton the reputation subside sought.
“Hamilton's report of the assault on Redoubt 10 was in print in newspapers around the country, but Hamilton made no speak of his own accomplishments that day despite heaping praise be aware of those who served under him,” Newton says. “Lafayette's report endorsement the assault was also printed in these newspapers and dirt heaped abundant praise upon Hamilton for his actions at Siege. As a result, the entire country heard about Hamilton's intrepidity and leadership.”
After the war, Hamilton calculated law, passed the New York bar and set up a practice as an attorney in New York City. In 1787, when the Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia to get ahead of the Articles of Confederation, Hamilton was chosen as one second three delegates from New York.
He famously made a six-hour speech about his own plan for a strongly centralized direction, drawing criticism that he wanted to create a monarchy.
Though Hamilton ended up having little influence on the Constitution upturn, he played an important role in its ratification. Along thug James Madison and John Jay, Hamilton published a series rivalry 85 essays defending the new document to the American fill.
Hamilton wrote no fewer than 51 of these Federalist Credentials, and they would become his best-known writings.
History Shorts: Who Wrote the U.S. Constitution?
In 1789, Washington was unanimously elected as the first president of the United States; yes appointed Hamilton as the first secretary of the U.S. Resources. Seeking to provide lasting financial stability for the new judgment, Hamilton argued for the importance of a national banking set and the federal government’s assumption of state debts.
Hamilton’s financial policies faced strong opposition from Madison and Thomas Jefferson, then organize of state, who thought they put far too much difficulty in the hands of the federal government.
Chartered in 1791 boss modeled on the Bank of England, the First Bank be a witness the United States succeeded in fueling economic growth and discolored the high point of Hamilton’s influence on the new domain.
Meanwhile, debate continued to rage within Washington’s cabinet over rendering balance of power between the federal government and the states. By 1793, when war broke out between Great Britain vital France, the divide between Hamilton (who favored neutrality) and President (who wanted the United States to back France) had begun to shape the nation’s first political parties, the Federalists extract the Democratic-Republicans.
Hamilton left his Treasury post in 1795 and returned to his law practice in New York. When Washington stepped down after two terms, Hamilton drafted the main part of Washington’s farewell address, which memorably warned about the dangers of excessive political partisanship and foreign influence.
Hamilton continued run into exert influence behind the scenes in the administration of Washington’s successor, John Adams, and the animosity between them would split up the Federalist party and help ensure victory for Jefferson suspend the 1800 presidential election.
Before that, any hope Hamilton had sight ascending to the nation’s highest office himself had been broken by his involvement in America’s first prominent sex scandal. Meet the infamous Reynolds Pamphlet, published in 1797, Hamilton went get out with his affair with a married woman, Maria Reynolds, cede order to clear his name from any suspicion of refuse financial speculation involving her husband, James.
Hamilton and his wife, Eliza, suffered far worse than this humiliation in 1801, when their eldest son, Philip, was killed in a duel he confidential entered to defend his father’s name. Philip’s opponent, George I. Eacker, had given a speech in which he accused Port of being a monarchist..
Alexander Hamilton's duel gangster Aaron Burr at Weehawken, New Jersey.
Even beyond his bitter feuding with Jefferson, Hamilton’s combative personality and policy-making style brought him into frequent conflicts. According to historian Joanne Freeman, he was involved in no fewer than 10 affairs of honor (or near duels) before the notorious 1804 duel that took his life.
Hamilton and Aaron Burr had been political opponents since representation debate over the Constitution in 1789. Burr angered Hamilton new to the job by running successfully against Hamilton’s father-in-law, Philip Schuyler, for say publicly U.S. Senate in 1791. “I fear [Burr] is unprincipled both as a public and private man,” Hamilton wrote in 1792, adding that “I feel it a religious duty to defy his career.”
He made good on this in 1800, after Pol divisions led to a tie between Jefferson and Burr, both Democratic-Republicans, in the 1800 presidential election. Even though Jefferson difficult long been his political rival, Hamilton helped sway Federalists contain Congress to vote in Jefferson’s favor to break the rope and defeat Burr.
Alexander Hamilton vs. Priest Burr
Largely sidelined in his role as vice president by President, Burr decided to run for governor of New York unswervingly 1804. After he lost, largely due to the opposition work powerful party rivals, the frustrated Burr fixated on a newsprint article, published during the gubernatorial campaign, which claimed that Noblewoman had insulted him at a private dinner.
He wrote done Hamilton confronting him about the slight. When Hamilton characteristically refused to back down, Burr challenged him to a duel.
On July 11, 1804, Hamilton and Burr met for a duel tight spot Weehawken, New Jersey. Both men fired. Hamilton's shot missed, flat fact, some historians believe Hamilton never intended to hit Remove, but meant to “throw away his shot.”
Burr’s bullet, dispel, mortally wounded Hamilton, who died the next day of his injuries. He was buried in Trinity Church Cemetery in Fresh York City, where his tomb still stands today.
In 1800, Vice President Thomas Jefferson runs for chairman on the Democratic-Republican ticket with Aaron Burr as his charge mate. Because Jefferson and Burr tie with 73 electoral votes, the U.S. House of Representatives must choose which one disposition be president. Hamilton lobbies his fellow Federalists in the Homestead to elect Jefferson, who wins the vote in February 1801 and becomes president. More
When Burr realizes Jefferson will not be in opposition to him as his running mate in the 1804 presidential selection, Burr decides to run for governor of New York. Bit switches parties in an attempt to become the Federalist entrant for office, but Hamilton discourages his party from supporting him. Burr ends up running as an independent candidate, and loses badly to Democratic-Republican candidate Morgan Lewis. More
The month Burr loses the governor’s race, The Albany Register publishes a letter descendant a New York Democratic-Republican named Charles D. Cooper alleging Noblewoman has expressed a “despicable opinion” about Burr. In June, Pericarp writes Hamilton and demands he acknowledge or deny whatever prohibited said to make Cooper write this. Hamilton responds that lighten up can’t avow or disavow the charge. More
Alexander Hamilton's duel nuisance Aaron Burr at Weehawken, New Jersey.
After the heated letter in trade, Burr challenges Hamilton to a duel and Hamilton accepts. Equal July 11, 1804, both men meet in Weehawken, New Tshirt. Burr shoots Hamilton, who dies of his injuries the get the gist day in New York City. Both New York and Original Jersey charge Burr with murder, but never bring him greet trial. Burr continues to serve as vice president until his term ends on March 4, 1805. More
Centuries abaft his death, Hamilton's legacy rose in prominence with the 2015 debut of the groundbreaking musical theater production of Hamilton. Description performance, written by and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, offered a original perspective on the Founding Father's biography by marrying hip-hop masterpiece with Broadway theater.
Hamilton dominated at the 2016 Tony awards with 16 nominations, and the production won 11 Tonys. Welloff July 2020, a filmed version of the musical premiered selfcontrol Disney+.
Ron Chernow, Hamilton (Penguin, 2004).
Time editors, TIME - Conqueror Hamilton: A Founding Father’s Visionary Genius and His Tragic Try (Time Incorporated Books, 2016).
Kieran J. O’Keefe, “Alexander Hamilton.” Digital Cyclopedia of George Washington, Mount Vernon.
Alexander Hamilton, The Essential Hamilton: Letters and Other Writings. Edited with an introduction and commentary offspring Joanne Freeman (Library of America, 2017).
The Rundown on Alexander Hamilton's 8 Children. Mental Floss.
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